According to a significant new study by AND Digital, nearly half (43%) of CEOs expressed concerns that their roles might be threatened by AI technology.

Furthermore, three-quarters (76%) of CEOs have initiated AI training bootcamps this year to equip themselves and their employees with the skills needed to navigate the latest technological advancements.

These insights emerged from the report "The CEO Digital Divide: are you accelerating enterprise value or slowing it down?", which surveyed 600 global CEOs and was conducted by the independent research company, Censuswide.

A concerning 44% of CEOs indicated that they believe their staff are not prepared to manage AI integration amidst rapid global developments.

AI heightens the challenges faced by CEOs, with one-third (34%) choosing to prohibit AI tools like ChatGPT within their organisations. Nevertheless, 45% confessed to covertly using AI tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, to perform their job duties, often claiming the work as their own.

Ironically, despite the prevalent secret utilisation of AI technology, ethical considerations in AI adoption have also surfaced as a significant issue, with 68% ranking it as a top concern.

Stephen Paterson, Chief for Technology and People at AND Digital commented: “CEOs cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to AI. Neither can they allow a culture of fear and distrust surrounding new technologies to gain a foothold, so reskilling people and teams across all departments to the highest standards should be an absolute top priority.

“It is important for business leaders to establish a well-designed framework around AI in order to maximise value and mitigate risks, empowering people with the guidance and resources to innovate safely. Failure to do so will leave them falling behind the competition and falling behind peers who do possess the AI skills to lead the new wave of tech innovation.

“Ultimately, CEOs must embrace the 'AND' mindset, rather than the ‘OR’, when it comes to embracing new technology. This involves adopting juxtaposed concepts of speed AND security, small AND scale, as well as legacy AND innovation in order to unlock the full potential of technology investments."

The news comes amid the UK and US forming a new partnership to ensure the safety of AI amid concerns about its future versions. The collaboration aims to jointly develop advanced testing for AI models and share information on AI capabilities and risks.